Is Lee Johnson right?

He said in his presser that our fans like/want/prefer lads who graft, who wear their hearts on their sleeve etc.

Is he reight?

I have to admit that I'm a big fan of a trier. My first footballing hero as a lad was Brendan O'Connell. I adored Darren Sheridan soon afterwards. In recent years, Chris Dagnall, David Perkins and Sam Winnall have been lads I've fell in 'football love' with. So maybe I am the sort of fan he's referring to.

Or am I?

When someone asks me who I think's the best laiker I've seen wear the red shirt, I always say Craig Hignett. He was far from a grafter. I used to adore Mike Sheron, when most hated the bloke. He wasn't a grafter. In recent years, I fell in 'football love' with Paddy McCourt and Ricardo Vaz Te. I wouldn't describe them as grafters either.


In an ideal world, Paddy, Ricardo and Higgy would have grafted like O'Connell, as well as been the genius players they were for us. And yes, imagine if Perks, or Winnall had the genius about their games too?


So no. I can't agree with LJ on this. Although I do appreciate **** lads who graft over **** lads who don't. Naming no Scott Wiseman names.




Thoughts?

 

Well, it certainly doesn't describe me. Yet more proof that I'm not a reight fan.

 

Personally I think he is confusing graft with effort. In my opinion you need a blend of players in a successful team - you need those who do the spade work and run their blood to water but you also need creative players who don't do as much running and tackling as their workhorse colleagues. What hacks people off is when the more talented players put zero effort in when things aren't going too well, the ones who meander through games and who can stay anonymous for 90 minutes, leaving the pitch without breaking sweat. Mellis fell into this category and to an extent so did McCourt.

We've had players down the years who've been brilliant creative players but they still put some effort in without being grafters.

 

I recall a conversation i had with brian howard, who came out with ....its not rocket science is it, put a shift in graft hard give it 100% and win or loose and the barnsley fans take you to their heart.

i agree, you dont need to be the most skillful of players but give 100% for the shirt and i go home happy

 

Personally think we've a group of very young lads with loads of potential, who are prepared to graft...Need time and support from the "fans"...There's the problem.

 

Confusing graft with effort?

Tell me what graft means.

Then tell me what effort means.

 

I like to watch footballers not grafters, I loved paddy, higgy, Currie who were exciting. Also liked Agnew Redfearn who could have a go and Futcher Barnard who had class. I hated watching a player like Stuart Pearce, boring and predictable. I know he didn't play for Barnsley just didn't want to slag off one of our own. So LJ hasn't got me summed up.

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Quote him specifically.

 

I thought I'd explained that in my post. Effort is what you expect from each and every player regardless of ability. Some players work all game, breaking up play, harrass players, tackle, etc. Some players don't do this, its not part of their job but they must still put effort in to get forwards, beat a man, help out when we're under pressure. We've had players who haven't done this - as I said Mellis was a good example of this in recent years.

 

I think he's right to distinguish graft and effort, I've made this point before. McCourt had bags of talent but unless he had the ball to feet he'd not do owt. Higgy on the other hand would come alive in the final 3rd, not only on the ball but putting effort in to stretch teams, create space, find space, look for the ball.

Graft suggests just running and running. Effort is useful graft.

I know what I mean anyway.

 

I don't think he's describing me either. I'd say Josh Scowen puts in more effort than any of our players. He runs around giving 110%, winning us free kicks and shows an hell of a lot of commitment to the cause.

But my favourite player is Conor Hourihane who isn't exactly known as well as some of our team for putting himself about, getting stuck in etc but does the most important things of all like score goals and set up goals.

For that the rest of our midfield have like Scowen, Harris, Crowley, Pearson etc have to start stepping up and taking some of the burden.

 

Effort is what I expect from each player.

As is graft. They're not far off the same thing.

Tell me what graft means.

 

I just have.

 

Effort is not useful graft. Effort means trying. Doesn't mean useful trying necessarily at all, any more than useful graft is useful.

 

I can only tell you what it means to me. You can disagree, no problem. It still remains the same in my head.

A player can put 'effort' in without being a 'grafter'.

 

I just want to see our players try to score goals, the whole point of football.

 

There's plenty of football fans not just us who will forgive a player many many things if he runs around lots.

Sometimes it hides how bad they are. Sometimes it doesn't.

 

If you make an effort on a football pitch, you're grafting.

 

You don't want to see a few of our players preventing goals?....Daft as your dad....

 

Footballers are in a position that they are very good at something we like. Minimum requirement is that they work hard (graft). They already have the skill. It's managers complicating the way they play, that fcuks them up